Over the Edge
by Moe-the-Insomniac
Summary: *Completed* For the past seveteen years in life alone, Harry has had the raw end of the bad deal. He's about to go insane, over the edge, and do something no one could expect from him. And only Hermione knows it's him.
1. Teaser Chapter

Over the Edge  
  
  
  
~ Poor Harry Potter. He started out in life as an orphan, then there's this wizard he knows as Lord Voldemort that is out to make him dead. Sure, he looks strong, and brave, but that's only on the outside. Harry's about to loose all sanity left in his mind, and those to suffer, are the students at Hogwarts. And only one person can do something to help, and that's Hermione.~  
  
  
  
Silence, it was all around her, settling in her mind. Another late night in the common room, studying, alone with the fire of course. Hermione was indulged in her Charms textbook over one of the tables. There was an exam two weeks away, one she was fearing over nothing for.  
  
Her mind startled when the portrait hole opened. So late at night, she had expected everyone to be asleep.  
  
" Who's there?" Hermione whispered harshly.  
  
" It's just me" Harry. He sounded exhausted and upset. She could tell from only three words.  
  
" Oh, hello Harry" she greeted, closing the book, " where were you?".  
  
He was trying to get away from her, " the bathroom".  
  
Hermione rushed to block his path to the staircase, " for how long? I've been down here for awhile, I didn't hear you leave".  
  
" That must have been it, good night".  
  
She stopped him one last time for a friendly hug given on random occasions, " good night".  
  
He quickly hugged her in return, then brushed past and went upstairs.  
  
  
  
  
  
Foreshadowing Chapter Two- Why does Hermione wake in her bed the next morning with blood on her bed sheets?  
  
  
  
Authors Note: It's short, yes, but that's why it's a teaser, for now and only now of course. Yes, I know, very many people cannot see Harry being the horrible person he will become in this story, but you'll see where he's coming from. Trust me, and give it a chance. Thanks! 


	2. Blood on the Hands, Murder in the School

Over the Edge  
  
Chapter Two- Blood on the Hands, Murder in the School  
  
  
  
The next morning was a Saturday, it was very quiet when she woke. Hermione opened her eyes, she was alone in the dorm room, everyone else had probably gone to the Great Hall for breakfast. She turned over, her hand landed in something cold and wet. Looking, it was covered in a deep red liquid. Blood. Hermione sat up, there was blood under her on the sheets as well as next to the pillow.  
  
But it wasn't hers.  
  
The blood wasn't coming from her, but something on her body. She was in the same clothes as the night before, going to bed late enough to not bother with changing. Hermione leapt out of bed and tore off her cloak, throwing it back on the mattress.  
  
Running her hands across the cloth, blood covered every inch of her hands, it was soaked. She jumped back, gazing at her hands. She didn't know who's blood it was, or how it got on her cloak. And now, her hands. Hermione was panicking, she cleaned her hands on the cloak as fast as she could then covered it with the comforter. She then ran out of the dorm room.  
  
  
  
  
  
Everyone, every student in Gryffindor, were crowded in the common room, buzzes of conversation all around. The first person to greet Hermione when she came downstairs was Ginny Weasley.  
  
" What's going on?" she kept looking around.  
  
Ginny looked horrified, " a student is dead", her eyes widened, " we have to stay in here".  
  
" Dead?" Hermione gasped, " w-who was it?".  
  
Ginny shrugged, " they haven't said, all we know is that it was a murder".  
  
Hermione suddenly felt light headed and sick. The blood, in her room, in her bed, on her clothes, and now someone turns up dead. Worse yet, murdered.  
  
Footsteps were heard in the portrait hole, and the room went silent. Professor McConagall appeared before them, with her everlasting facial expression.  
  
" No student is to leave the common room until further notice, meals will be served here at their usual times. As for the tragic events of early this morning, any student with any information they may think is helpful is encouraged to write them down and give them to me. They will be passed on toProfessor Dumbledore. Any information at this time may help to find the person or people who are responsible for the death of Colin Creevey".  
  
Everyone in the room gasped at least once. Ginny had tears in her eyes, sometimes Hermione had a way of absorbing her emotions when she didn't know how to react.  
  
" Oh my god" Ginny cried, " I'm going to go talk to Dennis" she walked into the mob ahead.  
  
Hermione went in the other direction, seeing Ron and Harry by one of the windows, alone.  
  
" How weird is this?" Ron asked when he saw her coming towards them.  
  
" It's so sad, I can't believe it, an innocent boy like Colin" she looked at Harry who was staring at the stained glass, " did you see anything? You were out last night".  
  
Harry turned, " not a thing".  
  
" I doubt anyone saw anything" Ron said. But Hermione was still focused on Harry, the way he was responding to things and how he wasn't very alert.  
  
  
  
That's when she began to wonder, if she did have information, on who murdered Colin.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Foreshadowing Chapter Three- Who does Hermione think the murderer is? 


	3. False Accusing and True Confessions

Over the Edge  
  
Chapter Three- False Accusing and True Confessions  
  
  
  
Hermione spent the remainder of the day biting her fingernails and pacing around the dorm room. She had washed the blood away, but it was still engraved in her mind, she couldn't get it out of her brain. Hermione had a tendency to be delirious when studying so late, with growing exhaustion and a decreasing memory. It was a long shot, but also a possible one.  
  
While everyone was getting prepared for bed, Hermione gave Harry a note, asking him to meet her in the common room after lights out. Lights out, that's where it all began. Along the day, Hermione found out some more details about the murder.  
  
Colin died somewhere between midnight and three in the morning, the range of Harry returning to the tower and Hermione going to bed. Filch found him in the library, his throat had been slashed. There was no murder weapon, nothing, nothing was found. It could have been anyone, even Hermione.  
  
  
  
She stood by the fire, waiting, like a stone statue. Hearing the click from a door upstairs, her eyes shot to the staircase where Harry came running down them.  
  
" Are you alright?" he had a deep look of worry.  
  
Hermione nodded, like she was afraid to do anything else, " if I tell you something, do you promise not to tell?".  
  
The look deepened, " what? What is it?".  
  
This was the one person, out of anyone, who she could trust. No matter what, but she still had to be sure. " Promise me".  
  
" Yes, I promise".  
  
She took a deep breath, " I think I know who killed Colin".  
  
Now he looked scared, very scared, " w-who?".  
  
" Me".  
  
" What?" he sharply gasped.  
  
" I think, I murdered him, I think there's a chance I may have when I was exhausted last night and...".  
  
Harry gently grabbed her by the shoulders, " Hermione, listen to me, look at me. You did not kill anyone, okay? You did not murder Colin".  
  
She began to tremble she was scared so much, " how? How do you know that?".  
  
" Because, I did it".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Authors Note- Thanks for the reviews everyone, keep it up!!  
  
Foreshadowing for Chapter Four- What's Harry going to tell Hermione and how will she take it? 


	4. Complicated Reactions

Over The Edge  
  
Chapter Four-Complicated Reactions  
  
  
  
" What?" Hermione gasped, she glared into the depths of his eyes.  
  
Harry returned the stare, " I murdered Colin".  
  
" Nice try Harry, but it's not making me feel better" she saw that he wasn't giving in, had it been a joke, " oh my god".  
  
He smiled for a second, " so it couldn't have been you, I remember doing it".  
  
Hermione tried to get herself to calm down, " are you saying that you actually murdered someone?" the words didn't make sense.  
  
" Yes, I was the one who killed Colin. I cut his throat in the library last night".  
  
There was only one thing she could say, " why?".  
  
" I don't know".  
  
She knew better than to start yelling at him, " you don't just do something like this and not have some kind of a reason".  
  
He tried to shake it off, " I didn't know what I did until after it was done. I know it doesn't make any sense, but, there was nothing going on in my mind".  
  
Hermione took a deep breath, " but you still did it".  
  
Harry nodded, " I can't change that".  
  
She wrapped her arms around her body, turning away from him, scared to look. But she knew that wasn't even close to anything else she felt about him. Tiny steps were taken to the staircase. Harry gazed at the fire as she left.  
  
" Harry" he looked up when Hermione said his name from the middle of the steps, " I'm not going to tell, anyone".  
  
  
  
The blood on Hermione's cloak came from Harry's hands when he hugged her. It was Colin's. The one person she saw differently that anyone else, had to be considered a murderer, even if it was only between them. Hermione didn't know what would happen starting in the morning. Cut what she learned tonight, didn't have a negative effect on her.  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's Note- Sorry for a short chapter, but this one was just to round up what really happened. And also, if you can notice, a few things about Hermione (if you can't tell now, you will sooner or later). By the way, Blanche Dubios, those " steamy scenes" you were talking about in your first review, they're coming up.  
  
Foreshadowing for Chapter Five- What does happen the next morning? Better yet, what's Hermione going to do? 


	5. There's Something About Harry

Over the Edge  
  
Authors Note- Maybe not necessarily Hermione doing the obsession, but you're in the right area. This chapter practically wrote itself, at 3am in my living room where I got grounded for being up so late, but it's totally worth it.  
  
Chapter Five- There's Something About Harry  
  
  
  
Hermione didn't sleep that night. She said in bed, in the dark, her mind racing and she couldn't focus only on one thought. Over the years, since the she met ' the boy who lived', Hermione had seen some courageous and yet horror things he had done. The chamber of secrets, the death eaters, Voldemort of course, and the many attempts at verbally and physically harming Draco Malfoy. But those were times when he needed to do those things, not always for the sake of living, but close enough. Not Colin Creevy, he had never done a thing wrong. There was no visible reason for his murder. Maybe it was something Harry saw, only him. Something in his brain, in his thoughts, that told him Colin had to die. Or maybe, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Maybe it wasn't Colin, but Harry. She knew for a fact that there was something different about Harry, something dark and dangerous. The problem was, she didn't know what it was exactly. But she was determined to find out.  
  
  
  
The next morning, Hermione was hazy from being sleep deprived, and very edgy. She wasn't alert as every always expected her to be. Downstairs, she saw Harry from a far. By the color under his eyes, he hadn't slept either. He probably had the exact opposite on his mind, then again, he could have been just as confused as she was.  
  
Professor McGonagall came in once again with another announcement. Regular routines would be in effect as soon as Professor Dumbledore had a private meeting with every student. That could be a long time, and even though Hermione and Harry had every class together, she wanted to talk to him as soon as possible.  
  
After breakfast, in the common room, Hermione went upstairs to gather some studying materials. Taking part in her usual activities could help set her mind straight. She dug through her footlocker in the deserted dorm room. As soon as she had her Potions book, she stood up, coming face to face (well not really, he's taller now) with Harry.  
  
Before she could speak or react, he grabbed her by the hips, pushing her back a couple of steps. Hermione dropped the book, her conscience telling her to scream. But this was Harry, she couldn't.  
  
" I don't want you to be afraid of me" for another person, it would be hard not to with the firm hold he had on her, " you should be running away, screaming" it was like he could read her mind, " you should be telling McGonagall and Dumbledore that I was the one who killed Colin". She never blinked once, there was so much emotion in his eyes. Fear, guilt, regret, and maybe the need to break down and cry. " I don't know why you haven't, or if you're going to, but no matter what, I don't want you to be afraid of me, ever".  
  
There was so much Hermione could say now that she had the chance, but with the tone of voice she had, he would have her. She didn't say one word, only placing a finger over his lips, did Harry know that she understood. He leaned in closer, the tips of their noses touching. Hermione closed her eyes ready, willing, for what she thought was coming. But it didn't. Harry backed away, releasing her, and leaving the room, passing Ginny on his way out. Hermione was breathless.  
  
Her mind absorbed every word he had said to her. She wasn't afraid. Maybe physically, after six years of Quidditch it would be hard to win a fight against him, but not of him personally. Not of the boy she first met on the train when looking for a runaway frog. Not the one who survived puberty who risked his life to save another (though committing murder took a life). Not of the boy who sat at her bedside everyday, and brought flowers, when she was petrified. And not of the grown teenager who risked so many things to save someone because he was the only one who knew he was innocent. She may be the only person who could see past a grueling crime to the real Harry. Harry Potter was so much more than a murderer, the title didn't fit him, but it had to be there. When it would be Hermione's turn to go into Dumbledore's office, she planned to tell the truth and lie at the same time. The last moment she saw Colin alive was in the common room before her Charms class. But no, she never saw Harry re-enter the tower that night. On the outside, he didn't leave in the first place.  
  
But on the inside, she wasn't going to protect him as much. She had a lot of searching to do. 


	6. The Boy Who Killed

Over the Edge  
  
Chapter Six- The Boy Who Killed  
  
  
  
She went back to the common room. It took a moment, but she saw Harry and Gunny, by the same window as two nights before.  
  
" Mind if I join you?" she grinned.  
  
Ginny had a somewhat angry expression, seeing as she was alone with the guy of her dreams. " Usually you shut yourself away in a your own corner and snap at anyone who goes near you".  
  
Hermione shrugged, " when something like this happens, it makes you think about what you're doing with your time". Harry looked over at Ginny, then glared at Hermione, only he knew what she really meant. " Where's Ron?".  
  
" Dumbledore, they're starting at the end of the alphabet" Ginny said.  
  
That meant Harry would go before Hermione. He had the chance to turn himself in before she would to lie. But it was easily seen, that he wasn't going to do it.  
  
" I'm going to go get my Transfiguration book" Gunny left them alone.  
  
The silence was more brutal for him. " What are you doing?".  
  
She ignored him in that way, " what was our Potions homework?". But he wasn't giving in. She sighed, " you're a wreck, and I don't think you're safe alone".  
  
" I'm not going to tell Ginny".  
  
Even if he did, it wouldn't do much. After five years, she was still both quietly and madly in love with him. Who knows, maybe knowing he was a dangerous murderer would be an erotic turn on (A/N- does that sound familiar to anyone?). " Then why did you tell me?".  
  
He paused, but sounded sure when he did answer. " Because I trust you". There was a chance he was lying, for the sake of her not telling. But it was something about the way he was looking at her. There was no trace of doubt in his eyes. Not like she had any to begin with.  
  
" Trust what?" Ginny heard what he answered, luckily not what Hermione had asked.  
  
The two looked down at their books. " Just, trusting Hermione, with everything" and he wasn't lying.  
  
Before Ginny could pop another question, Professor McGogonagall entered the tower and the room dropped into dead silence. " Tomorrow, Saturday, the entire school will be going on a trip to the village of Hogsmeade for the weekend, with or without a permission slip".  
  
Excitement grew rapidly around the common room. Though this was only happening because the staff wanted the students out of the school in attempts for clues on the murder. Hermione wondered about those clues. If Harry had a weapon, what did he do with it? He had the power to make things disappear, hopefully he used it.  
  
" That's a little strange" Harry commented.  
  
" Who cares, you're not going" Hermione said.  
  
He arched an eyebrow, " I'm not?".  
  
" Nope".  
  
The conversation did not continue, Ginny was right there and Ron had just come back. " Bloody hell, they got mind tricks to make you talk, it's horrible".  
  
It was only Ginny's turn to go, but Hermione could tell from the vibes that Harry was scared. There was no other word, he was scared.  
  
She took her quill, using Harry's ink bottle and a ripped piece of parchment, she wrote:  
  
What did you use to kill him?  
  
He hesitated, but returned the note without being noticed:  
  
  
  
A knife, I think Dobby gave it to me  
  
  
  
He thought? How could he not remember? Maybe he had it for awhile.  
  
Where is it?  
  
  
  
One of the school owls got rid of it  
  
  
  
And there was something else:  
  
Why aren't we going to Hogsmeade?  
  
Hermione smirked while scribbling on the parchment:  
  
  
  
Because I'm not afraid  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Foreshadowing Chapter Seven- There may be another murder before the Hogsmeade trip. Who's it going to be? 


	7. Screams in the Night

Over the Edge  
  
Authors Note- Anyone who wants to chat and/or doesn't have a profile, I'd love to talk to you guys. My email is morgsyncer@yahoo.com. My screen name on AIM is TinyMoe361 and on Yahoo it's lilgetum. And if you guys have any, leave it in a review. Thanks, an on to the story.  
  
Chapter Seven- Screams in the Night  
  
  
  
Harry looked sick upon returning from Dumbledore's office. There was no screaming, or swarms of dementors, and he had come back. Harry did not confess, not like she was expecting it.  
  
Hermione went with what she had planned about lying and the truth. It worked, despite how scared she was. But Professor Dumbledore asked what the last thing Colin said to her was. She remembered (and answered truthfully) ' see you later'. Simple enough.  
  
  
  
  
  
After everyone went to bed, Hermione found it easier to get some sleep. She wasn't too worried about Harry, knowing he was alright for the time being. He wasn't capable of much right now. Even smart girls like Hermione are wrong once in awhile.  
  
It was about ten or fifteen minutes after getting into bed, in Hermione's half asleep stage. An earth shattering, mind-bending scream pierced through the eardrums of anyone in or around Gryffindor tower.  
  
Hermione, along with the other girls in her dorm, burst into the hallway, throwing themselves among the huge crowd already there. She wasn't too far from the balcony, so she pushed herself through those around her. They didn't notice.  
  
Ron was already at her destination when she got there. He was in awe, but Hermione didn't have to ask, it was all right there.  
  
Ginny, obviously the one who had screamed, stood in the center of the spiral staircase. Below, on the floor, was a body, laying there. A pool of blood around. Dead. It was happening again, less than three days later.  
  
Before either her or Ron could see who it may be, they were pulled back into the mob. There was one voice, only one, that could be made out. Professor McGonagall.  
  
  
  
" Everyone into my classroom, NOW!". Like a chain, everyone bolted down the staircase furthest away from the body and to the portrait hole. It was too dark for anyone to see who it was. But there was one person who did know.  
  
  
  
Now, it was a huge discovery to those at Hogwarts from the first murder mystery. The murderer was in Gryffindor, and so far, as were the victims. They took place at night, when password entrances were under a more strict effect.  
  
She lost track of Ron somewhere between the portrait hole and the Transfiguration classroom. But it wasn't him she wanted to find right now.  
  
" Harry!" she recognized him in the corner, alone. She saw the tears in his eyes, the look of guilt and horror on his face. " It's okay" Hermione wrapped one arm around his waist and the other around his neck, allowing his head to rest on her shoulder.  
  
  
  
" I don't know what the hell is wrong with me!".  
  
" That's what I'm going to find out" she whispered, " Harry, who was it?".  
  
It's not that she wanted to encourage what he was doing, but a lecture would make things worse if anything. Helping him would involve being on his side, which she already was. Speed was everything, seeing as lives were being lost.  
  
" Neville".  
  
  
  
Authors Note- While you may not see the pattern of the murder victims, it will make sense when Hermione (and you'll find out at the same time) discovers why. Don't worry Blanche, the scenes I promised are coming. 


	8. Hogsmeade, Diagon Ally, and Transfigurat...

Over the Edge  
  
Chapter Eight- Hogsmeade, Diagon Ally, and Transfiguration  
  
  
  
  
  
Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevy were dead. They never saw the end coming, especially from someone like Harry. Someone they considered a friend, someone they trusted, the same someone who took their lives in violent ways. There wasn't a possibility of Harry waking one morning, deciding he wants to murder someone, plan it, and then actually doing it. Something in his mind that he had no control over, and it was taking over his life. The problem was, he knew it was there, he just didn't know what it was. Any further, and Harry could find himself in Azkaban prison for the rest of his life.  
  
  
  
While the tension in the room was as thick as stone, Hermione fell asleep, her head in Harry's lap. She knew what happened and who did it so there was no reason to worry, plus exhaustion was well over her.  
  
Ron found them before Harry drifted off himself. " She's probably the only one who can sleep, she's never afraid".  
  
" Maybe if you knew" he said in such a way, that if Ron had the slightest clue on what was happening, he would have figured out right there that his best friend was the mysterious murderer.  
  
In both fortunate and unfortunate ways, he didn't. " Knew what?".  
  
He reconsidered his decision about telling anyone else. There was no reason to tell Ron, he had to tell Hermione only so she wouldn't accuse of herself of the murder she didn't commit. But it would be betraying her, and the desperate attempts she has to help him. " Nothing, forget it".  
  
Seamus, the newest Head Boy for Gryffindor, stood on one of the desks, a replacement for McGonagall. " Every student will be leaving school grounds any moment. Revenclaw and Slytherin are going to the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Ally, ourselves and Hufflepuff to Hogsmeade. Please try and stick together for the love of Dumbledore, we'll probably know more when we get there".  
  
Ron watched Seamus step down. " I'm going to see if Ginny is alright, I don't want her getting left behind".  
  
" No you don't" Harry muttered as he walked away. He looked down at Hermione, still sleeping. Gently shaking her shoulder, she moaned, but didn't wake. " I guess I'm going to Hogsmeade" he whispered in her ear.  
  
Suddenly she shot up, gasping. " Like hell you will!" she grabbed his shirt collar, nearly strangling him.  
  
" I was only joking" he said.  
  
Hermione released him, then gazed around the room. " Uh oh" she jumped off the table, dragging Harry with her. Dashing out of sight behind an old bookshelf, she slid to the floor, as did he.  
  
Keeping a hold on his cloak, Hermione was occasionally peering around the corner as the remainder of the students filed out. Within a minute, it was completely silent.  
  
" Where's your Indivisibility cloak?"  
  
" Back in the room".  
  
Hermione stood, taking a few steps back. This was the first chance that Harry got to see what little she wore to bed compared to what she wore during the day.  
  
" Maybe I shouldn't be saying this, but the Fat Lady does have a big mouth. If she did let you in, she'd defiantly rat you out".  
  
She grinned, " say it all you want Harry, it's only a waste of breath". In a blink of her own eye, Hermione disappeared. She transperated, obviously, illegally. He couldn't complain about breaking any laws.  
  
Seconds later, she reappeared, his silver cloak draped over her arm. " Can I trust you to stay here?".  
  
" Where are you going?".  
  
Hermione wrapped the cloak around so only her head was visible. " Snape's classroom" she could tell he was about to ask why, " if you're going to tell me what's going on, you can't know what you're saying".  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Foreshadowing for Chapter nine- Hermione goes through with her plan, what's it going to do to Harry? 


	9. One Sip, One Kiss

Over the Edge  
  
Chapter Nine- One Sip, One Kiss  
  
  
  
Harry sat across from Hermione on the tabletop. Before he was a cauldron and nine or ten little bottles circling around it. Once in awhile she'd take a different one and pour just a touch, or the whole thing, inside. The first potion that came to mind of Hermione ever making was the polyjuice potion back in their second year. That turned her part cat part human. So this was scaring him.  
  
  
  
" Since you are the Book Queen, shouldn't you have something, anything, here to tell you what you should or shouldn't be putting in there?".  
  
She kept her concentration on the cauldron. " I memorized this potion in our third year when I was trying to find out if Ron liked me. But don't worry, I'm over that. This is more serious".  
  
" Just a little" he smiled.  
  
Hermione glared at him, smirking when she saw his face. " You're making fun of me".  
  
" Oh no, no, no, I'd be much too frightened to tease you" (A/N- I know that's from Star Wars, I don't own that either).  
  
" You're the famous Harry Potter, you can't be afraid of anything after facing off Lord you know who".  
  
Harry kept his eyes locked on her, " we all have a sort of sensitive side, maybe with the exception of you".  
  
She corked an empty bottle, " it's there, I've got one, you just have to find it". That could have been a hint, or an offer for him. The spark in her eyes was quiet the indication. Hermione reached for a crystal glass that had been on one of the chairs. " Alright" she re-directed her attention again to pouring a thick blue liquid into the glass, " drink this".  
  
Harry accepted it from her, studying the substance. Tightly shutting his eyes, he swallowed it all in one gulp, leaving a very disgusted look on his face. " Oh god, I hope that stays down".  
  
Hermione giggled, " now lay down" she gently guided him onto the tabletop.  
  
" Why? What's going to happen?" he looked worried, but to her it was amusing in an adorable fashion.  
  
" Don't worry" she whispered, " it's only going to feel like you're falling asleep".  
  
He was already beginning to sound groggy, by that time he was entirely relaxed, though worried he might not wake up. " What good will that do?".  
  
  
  
" Don't worry" Hermione repeated, watching his eyes close and his breathing becoming heavier, " Harry?" she whispered.  
  
His voice was more clear than hers, " yes?".  
  
She leaned over him, " why did you do it? Why did you kill Neville and Colin?".  
  
Harry took a deep breath, acting as though he was sleep walking, " Hermione" it was barely audible.  
  
" I'm right here".  
  
His head turned, facing her, his eyes slowly opening. He may have not known what he was saying, but now she didn't know what she was doing. Leaning downward, closer and closer. It looked very much like hesitation, but that's not what Hermione felt.  
  
Time, and every aspect of it, stopped upon placing her lips on Harry's.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Authors Note- The next chapter is what a lot of you have been waiting for. But, I can't post it here, so go to http://fanfiction.portkey.org/ and it will be there. The whole story is there, same title. In case you can't find it there, my pen name on that site is tweak27. It may take just a little bit longer, cause I have to actually write the chapter. It's not the same writing something like THAT in the middle of class. I hope you guys like it. 


	10. Authors Note

Authors Note  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As of Fenuary 10th, 2003, Chapter 10 was added to Over the Edge at the other fanfiction site. It cannot be posted here  
because of it's content, but the remaining chapters will be posted here afterwards. Thanks!!- Moe  
  
  
  
  
  
  
link- http://fanfiction.portkey.org pen name- tweak27 (same story title) 


	11. xcvxcvx

Authors Note  
  
  
  
  
  
  
As of Fenuary 10th, 2003, Chapter 10 was added to Over the Edge at the other fanfiction site. It cannot be posted here  
because of it's content, but the remaining chapters will be posted here afterwards. Thanks!!- Moe  
  
  
  
  
  
  
link- http://fanfiction.portkey.org pen name- tweak27 (same story title) 


	12. Confessions of the Dangerous Mind

Over the Edge  
  
Authors Note- Phew, I was afraid the last chapter wasn't going to go over well. Thank you for the reviews everyone and sorry for the wait but I love the torture (.  
Chapter Eleven- Confessions of a Dangerous Mind  
Hermione stood like a petrified statue, which she had already been once before. Ginny and Harry were just the same, though she had her hands on his shoulder. Hermione couldn't see where Harry's hands were, which to him was a very lucky advantage.  
  
She wasn't sure of her feelings for Harry at that point, the past hour made things confusing. It wasn't for his sake, what they had done, Hermione was in love, deeply. It couldn't have been a recent development, not even close. The question was the confusing part, how much? How far would she go for him? She lied to keep him from being caught, would she like to keep him out of Azkaban prison?  
  
She had to find the answer, but things had to be dealt with one at a time.  
" Hermione, honest, this isn't what it looks like" she did believe him, typical as it sounded, it was the truth. Everyone knew that Ginny Weasley, alone, in a bath with Harry, she wouldn't be herself anymore. He tried to swim away from her. " Ginny, can you please let go?".  
  
" No!" her voice echoed, receiving two distinct glares. " What's gonna happen if I don't Harry, are you going to..kill me?".  
  
Hermione lost her jaw, Harry came close to drowning, and Ginny had one heck of a grin. " I'd be your third victim, it'd be quiet the honor. The famous Harry Potter slicing my throat".  
  
Harry pushed himself out of her grip and to the edge, climbing out. Access water dropped from his cloak and clothing to the tiled floor. " You don't know what you're talking about".  
  
" Oh but I do" she kept the grin, " I was there, Harry, I saw you murder Neville from the balcony, and I know all about Colin as well".  
  
Hermione looked across at Harry, he was very pale. She began walking around to get to him. " Ginny, you've been known to have a very active imagination".  
  
" Oh cut the shit Granger! I'm not as gullible as I was in my first year".  
  
" Gullible is one way of describing it" Harry muttered.  
  
She smacked his arm, then gazed at Ginny, who was now getting out. " You silence on this would mean the world. Azkaban won't help Harry, I will".  
  
Ginny stood before them, still shorter and the look of mischief and evil on her face. " Oh, it's going to take a lot more than a beg to keep me silent" Harry didn't like the sound of that, she was giving off a seductive vibe. " I think we both know what that is".  
  
Hermione turned her head, her wide eyes seeing him stuck in a trance on Ginny. " Um, Harry...".  
  
He snapped from it, " oh no, there is no way I'm sleeping with you just so you'll keep your mouth shut!".  
  
" Come on Harry" Ginny pleaded, " it's just sex, only once, I promise. You never turned it down before".  
  
Hermione jumped in, " maybe we could made another arrangement".  
  
Ginny gazed at her, eyes ice cold. " Perhaps an arrangement to do with why Harry turned to murder. That I happen to know as well".  
  
Hermione had come to her own conclusion. It didn't make sense, but it's all she could come up with in one second. " It's your choice Harry" she mumbled, turning away.  
  
Harry was confused between the two. Both girls knew something that could cost him life in prison. One wanted him in exchange for silence, and the other was willing to be there no matter what. " No, Hermione's right, we can figure something out" he slid a hand into his pocket.  
  
" I don't think so" Ginny replied.  
  
Slowly, Harry's will gave in. His mind became paralyzed and his body took over without control.  
  
" I do".  
  
He grabbed the pocketknife from Sirius that he always had on him. Ginny hadn't noticed, but Hermione saw the blade from the first moment. Harry grabbed Ginny fast enough to make her scream. One arm was coiled tightly around her waist, the other around her neck with the knife.  
  
" What the hell are you doing?" Hermione yelled. Ginny was panting beyond too scared to defend herself. She had her hands pulling at his arm, but there was no use.  
  
Harry began to back-up with her. " I really don't want to do this, but, if I'm going to that hell hole Azkaban, I want to make sure no one knows my motive". He pressed the blade against the skin on Ginny's neck, causing tears to leak from her eyes.  
  
Hermione felt her heart jump into her throat. Ginny Weasley, of all people. Would Hermione witness her murder? If Ginny told what she knew before dying, would Harry kill her as well?  
  
" I won't tell, I swear!" Ginny screamed, back to her regular self.  
  
" I'm no more gullible than you are" Harry told her in a rough tone.  
  
Hermione inched closer to them, raising her hands to show that she doesn't meant to do anything someone would regret. " Come on Harry, don't do this, just let her go".  
  
He shook his head, revealing his want from the same pocket. " I'm sorry Hermione, I really am..expellimus!".  
  
A gold ray of light, a huge blast of blinding light, and Harry escaped from the bathroom. 


	13. Fall of a Wizard

Over the Edge  
  
~ This is the Final Chapter~  
Chapter Twelve- Fall of a Wizard  
There was a though it mind for Hermione to believe she was dead. That she hit the wall hard enough to become Harry's third victim. But she was alive, aching all over along with being dazed. Harry and Ginny were gone, the first thing she noticed.  
  
It was a struggle to stand, her sore muscles and bruised bones ached with every move she made. Loosing balance and then beginning to limp, she galloped towards the door.  
When entering the corridor of the school after the passage, it was deserted. Hermione feared by the time she'd find Ginny and Harry, one of them would be dead. A familiar call, identical to the one from earlier that night, rang throughout the hall echoing around Hermione. It was close, very close, and she wasn't around many classrooms. A cracking sound, like glass breaking. A window. There weren't any windows in the corridor, only lanterns. But there were some in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Hermione limped as fast as she could.  
  
Her hair was pulled backwards by huge gusts of wind in the room. The tall window had been broken, breaking the barrier to the night storm. Leaning very little out the damage (it was defiantly big enough for someone to fit through) thick raindrops splattered on her hair and face. Thunder was beaming in every direction, lightning occasionally illuminating the dark clouds. The roof.  
The staircases didn't move, like they knew she was in a rush and how serious the matter was. The only door to the roof platform was at the very top, the eight floor. It was not large at all really, only six or seven feet between two points in the castle. When she found them, Ginny was free.  
  
But Harry crept closer to her when he saw Hermione. " You don't want to be here, trust me" he warned. The voices had to be loud to not be drowned out by rain or thunder. Hermione was now just as soaked as they already were.  
  
" Harry, let her go, she has nothing to do with this".  
  
Through the streak of insanity across his face, he didn't prey it upon her. " That's not true, she knows more than you. Kind of scary when you look at it".  
  
" Please don't make me do this" Ginny pleaded, crying.  
  
Harry wrapped his arms around her waist. " Come on Gin, you were itching to tell earlier. Besides, she's been patient enough with my issues, I guess you can call them, mental problems" he grinned.  
  
" Harry, don't say that about yourself".  
  
He backed away from Ginny. " This girl right here" he pointed to her, " said the exact same thing not that long ago. She figured it out and ended our so-called relationship".  
  
Relationship? Though Hermione didn't say anything, it was clearly printed across her face. " Yeah, you guessed it" he continued, Ginny frozen by her tears, " she said I was acting weird about my desired revenge. Neville Longbottom and Colin Creevy were the names on the list, the only names actually. Once Miss Weasley here found out the true reason, my motive, and, well, she was pissed'.  
  
Hermione glanced between Ginny and Harry. She didn't know if she now wanted his reason. Obviously, it was known by someone all along. It was Hermione's one goal in him.  
  
Harry slid the knife's blade against Ginny's arm. " Why don't you tell?" he moved it towards her collarbone, " you know you want to".  
  
Ginny froe, hesitating, knowing the danger she'd be putting herself in by not speaking, more the same if she did. " Because of you".  
  
Between thunder and confusion, Hermione didn't hear, " what?".  
  
" Because of you!" Ginny screamed, " he killed them because of you!".  
  
" Because of me?" Hermione moved her drenched hair behind her ears, " how could this be because of me?".  
  
Harry looked at Hermione, with more painful expression rather than insane. " Because you're so attractive".  
  
" What?" she was becoming so aggravated because they were the only ones who could understand.  
  
" Well you must be, Colin and Neville were attracted to you" Hermione's anger fell, " maybe I didn't take the competition very well. I tried to get it out of my head, really, I did. Suddenly, after Ginny here had written me a letter, did I find a way to wheel them in. Write them, making it look as though you were the author, asking them to meet you in an empty common room at night, that's why Colin said ' see you later'. It was guaranteed to work, no one around, and they had no reason not to go. I remember watching them both, hiding in a dark corner while they came downstairs. There was the chance that I could have just sat there until they left, but, I didn't. The urge was too strong and my reflexes to weak. The last thing I wanted was someone in Gryffindor to be accused. They're our family, remember when McGonagall told us that on the first day. So I dragged Colin's body to the library, that's where I was coming from, you were coming down the stairs as I was in the porthole. I would have done the same for Neville if Ginny hadn't screamed".  
  
It took a lot out of him to admit everything. Hermione was stunned, Ginny still horrified because she was so close.  
  
" Harry, I0".  
  
He raised a hand to stop her, " don't worry about it. It may have been good intentions, but it was really bad actions. I don't even deserve Azkaban" Harry bent, whispering in Ginny's ear.  
  
Automatically, Ginny was crying again. " No!".  
  
He handed her the knife in which she could barely hold. " It would be a painless death, the dementors sucking out my soul. Colin and Neville suffered, I made sure of that. Why shouldn't I?".  
  
It took a lot of courage, what Ginny did. Quickly, without a warning, she drove the knife into his abs. Hermione jumped at the action, Harry dropped to one knee, clutching his bloody wound.  
  
" Ginny!" she snapped at the girl who had turned snow pale.  
  
" I told her to" Harry winced, falling entirely to the stone platform.  
  
Ginny dropped the knife, backing away. Hermione knelt next to him, his shoulders resting in her lap.  
  
" I didn't think it'd hurt this much".  
  
She pulled off her glasses, watching the raindrops land on his cheeks. Placing a hand over his, the blood ran onto her skin.  
  
" It was for you, Hermione. Colin, Neville, and now me, it was all for you. Maybe it would have been easier to just tell you" he took a deep breath, " that I love you".  
  
Hermione's smile barely twitched at her mouth corners. Harry closed his eyes. Soon enough, she couldn't tell raindrops from her own tears. He killed for her, and now he died for her. The question was no longer how much she loved him, but how much he loved her.  
Authors Note- There, it'd done. Now you all know why he did it and how it ended. But, those damn plot bunnies are still hoping around. I have an idea for the sequel to this that I'm willing to try. What do you guys think of that idea? Please let me know. Thank you for the reviews on this (and the help, you know who you are) and I'm glad you all liked it. 


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